Srirangam Srinivasa Rao - Sri Sri (1910 - 1983)

Srirangam Srinivasa Rao, popularly known as Sri Sri, was born on 2nd January 1910 in Visakhapatnam. Sri Sri completed his education in the same school in which his father Sri Venkata Ramaiah was working as a mathematics teacher. He married Ms. Venkata Ramanamma at an age of 15 and adapted a girl child. Later on he married Ms. Sarojini and was blessed with a son and two daughters.
He went to Madras for his higher studies in 1928 and completed them by 1931. In 1938, he joined as a sub editor of 'Andhra Prabha' daily newspaper. He later on worked for All India Radio and armed forces. He is a major radical poet (e.g. prabhava) and novelist (e.g. Veerasimha Vijayasimhulu). He introduced free verse into his socially concerned poetry through Maha Prasthanam. He wrote visionary poems in a style and metre not used before in Telugu classical poetry. He moved poetry forward from traditional mythological themes to reflect more contemporary issues.
He entered into Telugu cinema with Ahuti(1950), a Telugu dubbed version of Junnarkar's Neera aur nanda(1946). Some of the songs Hamsavale O Padava, Oogisaladenayya, Premaye janana marana leela, scored by Saluri Rajeswara Rao, were major hits.
He did also do some strident songs like Telugu Veera Levara from Alluri Seetarama Raju and Padavoyi Bharateeyuda from Velugu Needalu(1961). Films like Aakali Rajyam were inspired on the works of Sri Sri.
Telugu people remember Sri Sri as long as Telugu poetry exists. Lets salute this great human being for the inspirational work and service he has provided to the Telugu community
We are presenting you some of the poems of Maha Prasthanam for the Sri Sri fans.
Maro prapancham,Maro prapancham,Maro prapancham pilichindi!PadanDi munduku,PadanDi trosuku,Podaam, podaam, pai paiki!
kadam trokkutu,padam paaDutu,hrudamtaraalam Garjistu-padanDi podaam,vinabaDaledamaro prapanchapu jalapaatam ?
daaripoDugunaa GumDe Netturulu,tarpaNa chestu padanDi munduku!baatalu naDichi,peTalu gaDichi,koTalanniTini daatanDi!nadi nadaalu,aDavulu KonDalu,eDarulaa manakaDDamki?
padanDi munduku!padanDi trosuku!podaam, podaam pai paiki!emukulu kruLLina,vayasu maLLina,somarulaara chaavanDi!NetturumanDe,Saktulu ninDe,Sainukulaara! raranDi!"harom harom hara!hara! hara! hara! hara!Harom hara" anikadalamDi!
maro prapancham,mahaa prapancham,dharitrininDa ninDimDi!
padanDi munduku!padanDi trosuku!prabhanjanam vale horettindi!bhaavavegumuna prasaarinchanDi!varshakabhramula praLayaghoshavalePheLa PheLa PheLa PheLa viruchuku padanDi!padanDi, padanDi,padanDi munduku!
kanapaDaleda maro prapanchapukanakana manDe tretaagni ?egiri egiri egiri paDutunnaayi,enabhai lakshala meruvulu!tirigi tirigi tirigi samudraala,jalapraLaya naaTyam chestunnaayi!sala sala kraage chamura kaadidi,ushna rakta kaasaaram!sivasamudramu,nayagaravale,urakamDi! urakamDi munduku!padanDi munduku!padanDi trosuku!maro prapanchapu kamchu nagaaraa.viraamameruguka mrogindi!Traachulavalenu,rechulavalenu,dhananjayunila saaganDi.kanabaDaleda maroprapanchapuagnikiriiTapu dhagadhagalu,errabavuTa niganigalu,homajvaalala bhugabhugalu ?
-Poem contributed by Suhasini Kambhampati